6 Ft Under
Cadet
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2019
- Location
- Texas
I recently transcribed two letters written by my 3rd-great-grandfather RMJ Wright, addressed to the Hon. JW Stephens. Copies of the original documents were produced by the Texas State Archives, in which I have received, scanned, & transcribed below. It appears RMJ Wright is trying to claim his pension & is running into "red tape". To the best of my knowledge his service was ultimately proven & his pension was approved. However, online searches have yielded little information about Bourland's Border Regiment, known as the Frontier Regiment, or Bourland's Brigade. Well, at least, not enough information to satisfy my curiosity. & None of which sheds Bourland in a very positive light, to be honest. Which is what brings me here, to the experts, in search of further information. As always, I appreciate anything anyone has to add & offer my thanks in advance.
Cooper Tex July 24th 1905
Hon JW Stephens[,]
Sir yours of the 19th [illegable] at hand & I will answer questions the best I can[.] Our company was organized at Bonham Tex[.] I am not certain but I think that it was Co H[.] I don’t know the number of our Regiment but it was Cavalry[.] Known as the Border Regiment & commanded by Colonel Jim Bourland on the Texas Frontier[.] Mr Finnley[?] Comptroller at the time I made my application said my Troop of [illegable] in the army was all right & wanted to know the cause of my disability[,] but I did not try to get it approved at that time[.] I wanted to make my Troop while I could & then when it was impossible to get along without help try to get it as I need it bad[.] I don’t see how you could have any doubt about my serving in the army when 2 of as good of men as there is in Delta Co swore that I was & was in the same Company.
RM J Wright [.] Cooper Tex Route 1
Cooper Tex Aug 14th 1905
Honorable JW Stevens[,]
I will write you again the best that I can remember it in regard to my service in the Confederate Army[.] I was first in Co. D of Settles Battalion reorganized at Bonham, Tex & put in Co. H I think it was[.] At any rate J.B. Anderson was Capt. until he was elected Sheriff of Fannin Co. Tex then Capt. George Patterson was in command of the company until the end of the war[.] We belonged to Jim Bourland’s Regiment on the frontier of Texas[.] I don’t think that Regiment was numbered for it was known as the Border Regiment & was stationed at [illegable] at a place on the Frontier & the Regiment never was all together[.] At one time we were stationed at Buffalo Springs[.] Mr Pettyfils was in the same command as I was & his widow has been getting a pension ever since the law went into effect[.] So I know that I am entitled to it too. I don’t know how her application was made whether Co. D of Settles Battalion or Andersons Co Bourlands Regiment[.] She lives in Delta Co you can see for yourself[.]
RM J Wright
Cooper Tex Rt [illegable]
Hon JW Stephens[,]
Sir yours of the 19th [illegable] at hand & I will answer questions the best I can[.] Our company was organized at Bonham Tex[.] I am not certain but I think that it was Co H[.] I don’t know the number of our Regiment but it was Cavalry[.] Known as the Border Regiment & commanded by Colonel Jim Bourland on the Texas Frontier[.] Mr Finnley[?] Comptroller at the time I made my application said my Troop of [illegable] in the army was all right & wanted to know the cause of my disability[,] but I did not try to get it approved at that time[.] I wanted to make my Troop while I could & then when it was impossible to get along without help try to get it as I need it bad[.] I don’t see how you could have any doubt about my serving in the army when 2 of as good of men as there is in Delta Co swore that I was & was in the same Company.
RM J Wright [.] Cooper Tex Route 1
Honorable JW Stevens[,]
I will write you again the best that I can remember it in regard to my service in the Confederate Army[.] I was first in Co. D of Settles Battalion reorganized at Bonham, Tex & put in Co. H I think it was[.] At any rate J.B. Anderson was Capt. until he was elected Sheriff of Fannin Co. Tex then Capt. George Patterson was in command of the company until the end of the war[.] We belonged to Jim Bourland’s Regiment on the frontier of Texas[.] I don’t think that Regiment was numbered for it was known as the Border Regiment & was stationed at [illegable] at a place on the Frontier & the Regiment never was all together[.] At one time we were stationed at Buffalo Springs[.] Mr Pettyfils was in the same command as I was & his widow has been getting a pension ever since the law went into effect[.] So I know that I am entitled to it too. I don’t know how her application was made whether Co. D of Settles Battalion or Andersons Co Bourlands Regiment[.] She lives in Delta Co you can see for yourself[.]
RM J Wright
Cooper Tex Rt [illegable]